Soldier's Coming Home
by Alyx Monticino
Summary: Anya's journey through the Army, beginning from a week before she leaves...
1. Chapter 1

Fiona walked into the Dot to have coffee with Anya. She looked around and did not see her. She must have been early. She sat down at a table and tapped her polished nails on the wooden table. Every time the door opened, she would look hoping that it was her friend.

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><p>Anya checked the clock on her phone again as she hopped off of the subway, noticing that she was truly running late and ran a little faster toward the coffee shop, finally arriving there ten minutes later than she said she'd be there.<p>

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><p>Fiona turned around and saw Anya, "You cam-" she stopped short, in hopes to keep from sounding desperate for company. They sat down and ordered, "So, what's new?" Anya laughed, "Well my car died, so that's why I was so late, and I leave for the Army in a week," Fiona's eyes widened, "The Army?" she asked incredulously. Anya nodded, "Yeah, I finally feel like I found my calling, and this is it," "Well if that's what you want to do, I can't really stop you," Fiona laughed taking a large gulp of her coffee. Anya smiled, "You took that a lot better than my mom and Holly J… and Owen won't even answer my calls," "He won't" she shrugged, "Maybe he's just worried about you or something," Anya rolls her eyes, "Sure, I am going off to Afghanistan in a week, and he doesn't even want to spend time with me before I leave," she rested her head in her hand. Fiona pulled out her phone, "Call him now, I have a good feeling that he will answer," she laughed and finished her coffee.<p>

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><p>Anya took Fiona's phone and dialed the number that she knew by heart, "Um, hello" Owen asks, he voice caught in her throat, "Hey… it's Anya…" she breaks down, "Anya, hey, what's wrong?" Owen asks, growing worried, "It just sucks that you have been ignoring me for days, like it doesn't affect you at all that I am going off to the Army in a week, and I may not be coming back," she cries, "You will come back, and I will be right here waiting for you until you do. I'm sorry for freezing you out, it is just a lot to take in," he explained, "So you will miss me?" Anya asks the simple question, "I will miss you like crazy, thinking of you every minute of every day until you are in my arms again. Tomorrow, clear your schedule, because it's just you and me all day, babe,"<p>

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><p>Fiona, having heard the entire conversation, smiles, thinking that Owen finally did a good thing for once, she really hated seeing Anya so upset, and she was glad that she was happy again, especially before going off to the Army. Anya hung up the phone with a huge smile on her face, Fiona smile back, "So… It went well. I told you!" she beamed, laughing slightly. Anya's smile grew, "I should have never doubted you," "I know, I'm awesome," Fiona laughed. As their laughter died, both girls realized the situation, and with tears forming in their eyes, they ran around the table to each other, hugging them close, "I'm going to really miss you, Fi," Anya said into the brunette's hair, "Me too Anya, me too," Fiona replied.<p>

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><p>After paying for their coffee, they left the Dot, heading to the hospital to pay a visit to Holly J, "Anya, Fi, what a pleasure to see you guys," she rasped, "Hey there, how are you doing?" Anya asked, "Alright, kind of like I got punched in the stomach, but the doctor said that was a good sign, he also said that there weren't any problems throughout the surgery, so after a few weeks of bed rest, I should be back on my feet and better than ever," she smiled weakly. All three girls smiled softly at each other, remembering all of their experiences with the others, both happy and sad. Anya was the first to speak, "Guys, this could be the last time we see each other," she whispered, as her tears from earlier returned, "Don't say that," Fiona said, almost inaudibly, "Yeah," Holly J agreed with her friend, "You will go overseas, protect our country, and then you will be back with us before you know it, and by then I will be finished with Yale and we will all be together again," she said, the assurance in her voice was almost convincing enough to soothe her own nerves. The girls moved passed that bittersweet topic, talking about anything and everything in a way only best friends could. They made plans for the day after the one coming to spend as their last together for a while, but not forever, it is what they promised each other as they parted ways.<p>

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><p>It was the next evening that Owen and Anya were spending a final night together, comfortable in each other's arms, undisturbed by the outside world, "Before you leave there is one thing I have to do," Owen admitted, "And what is that?" Anya asked, a small smile gracing her features, "Wait right here," he directed, setting her in the spot they were previously both sitting in. She waited patiently as he ran up to his room, returning moments later, with a smile of his own on his face, he pulled Anya to her feet, "I know you may think I am crazy for moving this fast, but besides claiming you as mine, this is the one thing I have ever been sure of in my entire life… actually they kind of go hand in hand." He dropped down to one knee, "I don't know where my life is going, all I know is that I want you in it, so with that being said, Anya Michelle Macpherson will you marry me?" he asked, Anya's hand instantly went to her mouth, "But I am leaving in two days," she said, "I will wait forever for you," he said sincerely, tears came to her eyes as she finally nodded. Owen was overjoyed as he scooped her up in his arms, swinging her around.<p>

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><p>"It's beautiful, are you sure Owen picked it out?" Holly J commented, Anya rolled her eyes and nodded as she finished yet another page of the scrapbook each of the three girls were making. Something tangible that they could each take with them in their endeavors. Anya had called both girls as soon as she got home the other night. Both girls were ecstatic for their friend, already planning out every part of the wedding such as whom all to invite, the cake, decorations, dresses, all the while Anya sat there on cloud nine, thinking of her fiancé unbeknownst to her that he was doing the exact same thing, minus the girly talk about wedding plans. Back to present day, all three girls had finished their scrapbooks and after sharing every memory and a final hug, they left Anya's house, allowing her to get ready for the long hours ahead of her, promising to be there, in the early hours of the next day to see her off with her parents and her fiancé.<p>

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><p><strong>Got this out of Role Playing... (:<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

It was finally the day of her send of and no one had said a word since leaving the Macpherson residence. The reason being no one knew quite what to say; would they ever see her again? That seemed to be the one question reverberating from every one's mind. Her flight was finally called, bringing her friends and family back life. She looked from face to face of her loved ones and saw that there was not one dry eye as she gave them each an individual hug, before all of them coming in for a group hug. She started walking to her terminal, before turning back around and uttering three words, "Soldier's coming home," the meaning of those few words became clear to her two best friends before the rest of them, as they realized the lyrics to her favorite song, but even so, all of those that she cared about smiled at her and waved her off until her plane actually left.

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><p>There wasn't a moment that she was more scared in her life then the pure hell of a moment she was living through at the current time. She was taking cover in a ditch, hiding from enemy fire as she watched her fellow soldiers lose their lives around her, <em>"Soldier's coming home"<em> those few simple words kept her from completely losing her mind as the battle raged on. She had to go back, she promised them.

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><p>She walked out the terminal that she remembered as just yesterday entering the same one. As she descended the stairwell, she caught sight of her loved ones in the same spot as where she left them. She dropped her bags in the middle of the airport as she ran in a dead sprint over to the people; the family she hadn't seen in years. They were there like they promised, just like she promised she'd come home. Nothing like a reunion of loved ones to make every second of the past three years of hell on earth completely worth it.<p>

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><p>She waited behind the closed doors of the church with her father's arm looped around her. Her white dress flowing down her body and veil pulled gently over her face. After four years, four long years, she was finally getting married to the man of her wildest dreams, with the support of both old and new friends and family. She paid avid attention to the minister, talking at the appropriate times, staring at her soon-to-be husband every chance she got, and mirroring his excitement to a tee. As soon as the minister uttered the word, Anya launched herself into Owen's arm, kissing him passionately.<p>

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><p>Owen leaned over his wife's hospital bed, peering over her shoulder as she held their new baby girl, they had been married for a year, and this is what they created in that time. The baby was beautiful, just like her mother, and as he stared at both of his girls, he fell in love all over again. At first the thought of being parents scared him to death, but every negative thought vanished as soon as he saw his daughter, Owen Milligan was a changed man.<p> 


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